Just the Way You Are
by SSA Cuteass
Summary: SSA Aaron Hotchner hated Valentine's day. What happens when a certain member of his team confesses her love for him? Will SSA Emily Prentiss get her dream come true or will she get a broken heart?


Author's Note: This is my story for the Cupid's Countdown challenge on Chit Chat on Author's Corner. This story is written for LaUrIsHa-just me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds.

My Prompts are Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel; cards, love songs and chocolates.

Supervisory Special Agent in Charge Aaron Hotchner wanted nothing more than this day to be over. He wanted to go home to his empty house and drink his pain away. He was glad that Jessica offered to keep Jack over night so that he could be alone. He heard a soft knock on his office door and he looked up and saw Supervisory Special Agent Emily Prentiss standing there.

He tried to smile but he failed. "Come on in Emily. What can I do for you?"

Emily smiled tentively and walked into Aaron's office. She shut the door with one of her feet since her arms were full. She walked over to Aaron's desk and set everything that was in her arms on his desk and then stepped back. She watched silently as he looked at the pile of things on his desk. Her heart was doing double time in her chest as she saw him reach for the three cards she put on his desk along with a CD and a box of chocolates.

Aaron looked in shock at the cards, box of chocolates and CD that were now on his desk and then looked up at Emily with surprise in his eyes. He saw something in her eyes that he had never saw in her eyes before and it took his breath away. He saw all the love she held for him in his eyes and his heart constricted in his chest. He could not believe that he had not known she was in love with him before now.

He touched the cards and then pulled them to him along with the box of chocolates and CD. "What is all of this Emily?"

Emily twisted her hands together and looked at Aaron nervously before taking a deep breath and blurting "I love you Aaron and I wanted you to know it. I think that you feel the same for me."

Aaron looked at Emily and gave a sad smile. "I do not love you Emily. I am sorry but I do not see you like that."

Emily felt her heart breaking in her chest even as she shook her head. "I know that you love me Aaron. Why are you fighting it?"

Aaron shook his head. "I cannot love you like that Emily. I am not the man for you. I am sorry if I hurt you but I cannot and I will not love you."

Emily felt the tears rush to her eyes at his words as she looked at him and whispered "You are the man for me but I can wait. I love you just the way you are Aaron. I do not care if it takes you a while to realize that you love me as if I love you."

Aaron slammed his hands down on the desk and yelled "I will never love you Emily! I want you to leave me alone from now on unless it is about work. Do not call me and do not stop by to check on Jack and me. You are not his mother and you never will be. You will never be Haley. You could never replace Haley."

Emily's mouth dropped open and the tears poured out of her eyes and she stared at the man she loved. She could not believe that he had just said all that to her. If she did not love him so much she would have hated him just then. Her heart shattered in her chest into a tiny million pieces.

"Fine I will leave you alone from now on Aaron. You will not even have to see me here at work. Nothing I said to you just now was as bad as what you have just said to me. Have a nice life Aaron. Oh and Happy Valentine's Day." Emily whispered as she turned away from Aaron and walked towards his office door.

Aaron was ashamed of himself and as Emily opened up his office door he said "Emily do not quit. Look I am sorry for what I said. We can talk about it."

Emily turned her head and looked over her shoulder at Aaron and shook her head. "No, Aaron we cannot talk about it. I do not want to have to see you day in and day out. I love you but right now I wish that I could hate you. Have a nice life."

Aaron watched as Emily walked out of his office and out of his life and he sighed. He could not believe that he had just torn the one woman's heart to shreds that has never done anything other than be there for him. He shook his head and then picked up the CD and placed it in his computer. His mouth dropped open in shock as music filled his office. He knew then that Emily had compiled love songs and gave them to him. He sat back in his chair and listened to the songs even as he watched out his office window.

He saw Emily taking things out of her desk with tears in her eyes and he felt even more ashamed. He wanted to take back the hurtful and hateful words he had said to her but he did not know how. He was sorry that he could not love Emily like she loved him but his heart belonged to the woman he had buried a little more than a year ago. He closed his eyes and when he opened them back up a few minutes later it was just in time to see Emily exiting the bullpen. Now he had even more reason to hate Valentine's Day than he already did.


End file.
